Shining Force: The Legacy
The mysterious girl knocked on the door and introduced herself as Max's friend. She was a cute, Elven girl with a big staff in her hand.
She went up the stairs to his room.
She lifted her staff and chanted to the night.
Max lifted his eyelids and started to scream.
The girl put her hand over his mouth and continued.
Max could only stare in bewilderment.
She finished the spell and pointed her staff at some unlit candles across the room.
A searing flame slid across and lit the candles.
Max stared. "Who are you?"
"Max!" she said. "You know me!"
He gasped at the voice. "Tao!"
She smiled. "There you go."
He got up and hugged her. "Where've you been?"
She blushed at the hug, but told him, "Well, I've been trained as a mage in Mararina."
"Oh." Max said, letting go of her.
"By the way, Lord Varios wanted to see you about… something." Tao told him.
There was a knock.
Max put a considerable amount of distance between himself and Tao.
"Come in," he said, in a deep rumble.
A guy dressed completely in green emerged from the doorway, which they both recognized.
"Hey, Max." Lowe said.
"Hi, Lowe. How are you holding up?" Max walked up and shook Lowe's hand.
"Me? I'm doing fine. You should be worrying about yourself. Your training starts today." Lowe told him, excitedly.
Max's face lit up. "Really? Let's get started! Bye, Tao! See you later!" With that, he ran out the door.
Tao shook her head. "Kids these days."
"Hey!" Lowe reached up to tap her. "What about me?"
"Okay. You're the exception, little bro." Tao mussed up his hair.
"Come on, Max! I didn't hit you that hard." Lord Varios shook Max awake.
"You must be prepared, Max. I fear you may be facing real battle soon."
Max stared at the centaur.
"That's all for today."
Max trudged up the stairs, where he met up with Lowe again.
"Hi, Max. Done training? I don't understand how you can practice hour after hour. I'm dead tired after fifteen minutes." Lowe did look tired.
Max shrugged. "There's still a little left in me. I guess I could ask if I can continue training."
Lowe stared after him, incredulous.
He walked back to Varios, hopes high.
"No, Max. No more training for today. You already have the makings of a fine swordsman." Varios told him.
A guardsman hurried down the path and tugged at Varios' sleeve. "Lord Varios!" he bowed. "Your presence is required in the palace."
Varios turned pale. "Uh oh. Lead the way, guardsman." Varios turned to Max. "I fear the worst, Max. Prepare for real battle, immediately."
"Yessir." Max took his sword from the rack on the wall and followed them.
"Max, wait!" Lowe and Tao hurried up from behind him. "What's this all about?"
Max sighed. "Sorry, Tao. I need to see the king. No time to talk."
"Wait! You need to see… What for? Lowe tells me that you need to go to Runefaust." Tao pulled Lowe in front of her.
"Is that so?" Max looked at Lowe with mild interest. "Well. Why did you say that?" he asked coolly.
Lowe shrunk in Tao's hold. "Well, I heard Lord Varios talking about a hero needing to go there to stop a Runefaust army, but –"
"That is no need to go around spreading rumors, Lowe." Max remained in one spot, eyebrows raised.
"Hey! He just wanted to be able to say something in public!" Tao put herself in front of Lowe, being the protective, big sister.
Lowe looked out from the side of Tao.
Max now backed off. "Okay, okay. Sorry." He sighed again. I need to see the king. But I'm probably already late. Oh, man.
"…and one more thing – Are you even listening to - Huh?" Tao glanced at Max to see a face full of sadness.
Tao dropped the madness like a bomb. "What's wrong?"
Max looked at her, tears now forming. "If I have to go to Runefaust, I'll – I'll never come back. I'll never see this city again.
Tao realized this, too. She began crying.
I'll never see you again. Max thought. If only you could go with me… Nah. It'll never happen.
Straitening up, he headed towards the castle. "But I don't know if I do have to go." He muttered.
"What?" Lowe came up behind him.
"Nothing." Max hurried off.
Max finally headed to the castle gates.
"… and that is the story, Varios." The king was saying.
"Well, then. We'll have to send Max, a young fighter. Pretty good with a sword."
Max cleared his throat.
"Oh, Max! I was just about to look for you. The king needs to talk to you." Varios stepped aside.
Max stepped forward; ready to take whatever news hit him, good or bad.
"Well, Max. There was once a young wizard named Darksol. He wanted power. So, he summoned a dark and evil being called Dark Dragon. He had the idea that it would work for him."
Max looked uneasy. "I don't think I'm going to like this."
"Probably not." The king shook his head. "Dark Dragon wanted to rule the universe. He rebelled against Darksol and killed him. But that was all a thousand years ago. Darksol is back, somehow. He is traveling to Runefaust to awaken Dark Dragon again." The king looked around. "If he is successful, they will destroy the world is anger, since neither will let the other have it. Do you understand?"
Max shook his head. "Not entirely. Could you sum it up?"
All of a sudden, there was this music in the background. It sounded like it was from a Mission: Impossible movie…
"Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to go to Runefaust and slay Darksol and Dark Dragon." The music stopped.
Varios and Nova looked at him. "Good luck, Max. go into town and gather your troops."
Max left in a rush.